About me
I studied English and Spanish Language and Literature at University of Zaragoza, Spain. After my graduation, I worked at Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo running the organization of courses at their Pirineos branch. In those days I also started my career as a translator. In the mid 1990's I came to London for a few months, but then I realized it was a place I wanted to experience for a longer period of time. I spent a few years studying English and Translation, and in 2000, I started teaching Spanish as a foreign language in different institutions to students of all levels. In 2002 I started teaching at Instituto Cervantes and in 2003 at University of Westminster's Polylang Programme; I have been working in these two institutions until today. I also combine my academic life with freelance translation and interpretating. In the summer time, I devote myself to working in the technical production department of Festival Internacional de Santander.
Teaching
My concept of teaching, and more specifically teaching a language, is very much related to the image of the teacher as the facilitator, the helper that will grab the hand of the toddler and will do as much as possible so that he can end up walking by himself through the path of Spanish with confidence and accuracy. For that purpose, I intend to be as approachable as possible, trying always to create realistic communication situations in the classroom.
Research
Teaching Spanish lead me to three different fields, which I feel extremely interconnected and useful in my teaching:
- Translation - completed an MA in Translation and Interpreting at University of Westminster in 2014
- Intercultural Studies, focusing on Spanish and British cultures
- Drama techniques in the language classroom